Welcome to Ottawa Hills, Ohio
Enjoy the comfort and familiarity of home in a tranquil setting. Located in Greater Toledo, the Village of Ottawa Hills offers a relaxed lifestyle close to big city conveniences. Known for its Tudor Revival-style homes set amidst a canopy of mature oaks and elm trees, the village provides a small town neighborhood feel with a close knit community. Ottawa Hills Local Schools are ranked in the top public schools in the state, and many families choose to relocate to the village specifically for the high performing school district.
Homes for sale in Ottawa Hills, Ohio are some of the most coveted properties in Lucas County for their quality, workmanship, and location. These homes offer ample space and welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the Toledo metropolitan area.
Founded in 1915 by automotive entrepreneur John North Willys, the village occupies both sides of the Ottawa River. Ottawa Hills encompasses 1.87 square miles in northwest Ohio and is home to a small but steadily growing population of about 4,800.
A general overview of Ottawa Hills, Ohio
Known as one of the most desirable places to live in the Toledo metropolitan area, Ottawa Hills offers upscale homes in a convenient location. The village is accessible via Ohio Route 20/Central Ave. and Interstate 475. It is located approximately 15 miles from the Toledo Express Airport (TOL / KTOL) and about 50 miles from the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW / KDTW) for domestic and international flights.
What it’s known for
Niche named the Village of Ottawa Hills one of the best places to live in Ohio for its excellent schools, housing options, and overall lifestyle and environment. It is known as an affluent suburb with a high rate of homeownership and a close-knit community. Residents have easy access to clean and well-maintained greenspace as well as an array of shopping and dining options close to home. The village is highly coveted for its classic architecture, mature landscaping, and glistening creeks.
Nearby areas
The village is located just across Wildwood Preserve Metropark, which offers 493 acres of scenic trails, abundant wildlife, and historic structures such as the Manor House, which is open for tours and events. It is also located within close proximity to the University of Toledo, an esteemed research university, and the Inverness Club, a nationally recognized private golf club that has hosted high-profile events such as the 1993 PGA Championship, and more recently the 2021 Solheim Cup and 2019 Junior Amateur. The Inverness Club will host the 2027 U.S. Women’s Championship and 2029 U.S. Amateur Championship.
A brief history of Ottawa Hills, Ohio
Plat One, the first 100-acre section of the village, was opened in 1915. About 35 acres were set aside for parkland and recreational use. Construction was planned for 1916 with 130 home sites. The village generated over $100,000 worth of home building contracts within 60 days of its opening.
Founder John North Willys was a prominent entrepreneur and manufacturer, starting his business with bicycles before moving on to automobiles with the purchase of Willys-Overland. The company became the second largest car manufacturer in the U.S. just behind the Ford Motor Company. Willys was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2008.
After selling his Toledo mansion, Willys built another mansion in Ottawa Hills. It was situated on over 40 acres with sweeping views of the river in Ottawa Hill. The mansion became known as the Willys-Ritter House after being purchased by George Ritter in 1948. The land has since been divided into several subdivisions. The Willys-Overland Administration Building in downtown Toledo was converted into office space in 1935 and eventually torn down in 1979.
Today, Ottawa Hills is known as a suburb of Toledo. Homes for sale in Ottawa Hills, Ohio command some of the highest prices in the metro area for their remarkable design and architecture. More than a bedroom community, it is a prosperous village with reputable schools. It is the leading choice among many buyers who want easy access to Toledo and its attractions, but want to come home to scenic and peaceful surroundings.
HOMES FOR SALE IN OTTAWA HILLS, OHIO
The Ottawa Hills real estate market is known for upscale homes and robust property values. The village is primarily residential with very limited commercial development, making it ideal for buyers in search of peace and privacy. The majority of homes in the area are single-family properties with plenty of outdoor space. A limited number of buildable vacant lots are also available.
The village harbors a fine selection of homes that date back to the 1920s and the 1950s. It is estimated that about 30% of the homes in the areas were built before 1939 though the local housing market also offers newer homes from the late 1980s to early 2000s. Ottawa Hills also has many homes that are set back into wooded, spacious lots and away from street view for enhanced privacy.
Homes for sale in Ottawa Hills, Ohio come in a wide array of architectural styles. Aside from the prevalent Tudor Revival and Modern Medieval-style homes for which the village is known, the housing market includes many historic revival styles, including Colonial Revival, English Cottage, French Normandy, French Eclectic, Georgian Revival, and Italian Renaissance. For those who prefer more contemporary home designs, the village also offers an excellent selection of Ranch and Traditional-style homes.
Typical home features in Ottawa Hills, Ohio
Many homes for sale in Ottawa Hills, Ohio feature flagstone paths, gleaming hardwood floors, stone fireplaces, and crown molding. Despite their classic feel, many of the homes in the village are well-maintained and have modern kitchens and heating and cooling systems. These properties are also quite spacious, offering thousands of square feet of living space in addition to sprawling lawns and driveways. The homes are situated along winding roads lined with mature trees and shrubs.
Notable residential areas
- Brookside Road
- Estate Section
- Exmoor
- Hasty Hills
- Plat 1 (Hawthorne and Edgevale Area)
- Plat 3 (North of Indian and East of Manchester)Plat 5 (Pembroke Area)
- Stableside
LIVING IN OTTAWA HILLS, OHIO
Ottawa Hills residents enjoy a high quality of life amidst breathtaking scenery. Here’s what to expect when living in the village.
Getting around
Most residents get around by car or bicycle though there are several bus routes that pass near Ottawa Hills. Residents who travel to Toledo for work, business, or leisure often take I-475, I-75, and the ProMedica Parkway into the city. The Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) serves the village along with the surrounding communities of Maumee, Rossford, Sylvania, and Waterville.
Nearby dining and shopping
Though there is limited commercial development in Ottawa Hills, residents are within driving distance of the following retail and dining destinations in the Toledo metropolitan area:
- Ottawa Hills Shopping Center offers 34,944 square feet of shopping and dining on West Central Avenue in nearby Toledo. Some of the businesses on the site include fitness studios, casual dining restaurants, home furnishing retailers, and several offices.
- Cricket West Shopping Center, also located on West Central Avenue, features boutiques, bakeries, coffee shops, hair salons, and home appliance stores.
- Franklin Park Mall is a shopping mall anchored by major retailers like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Macy’s, and Ulta. Located just off I-475 on Monroe Street in Toledo, it also features a Cinemark film theater and several restaurants serving Mongolian, Thai, Italian, New American, and Asian Fusion cuisine.
- Westgate Village Shopping Center is anchored by Costco, Fresh Market, and Rite Aid and features several offices and fast casual restaurants serving American comfort food and Tex-Mex fare.
- Secor Square Shopping Center features a 30,000-square-foot anchor building with tenants like Whole Foods Market and Orangetheory Fitness. The shopping plaza also has several casual dining restaurants serving coffee, bagels, subs, and pastries.
Aside from casual and fast casual dining, Ottawa Hills and the surrounding areas feature steakhouses, Korean BBQ grills, sports bars, gastropubs, wineries, and restaurants serving Peruvian, Lebanese, and Mexican dishes.
Attractions and entertainment
Ottawa Hills offers classes and programs for the benefit of the whole community. These include yoga, strength training, cooking classes, gardening, clay art, and lacrosse, tennis, and baseball camps taught by qualified instructors. Class availability varies with each season. Send an email or call 419.537.9852 for more information on Ottawa Hills’ Village Life programs. In addition to these classes, village and school organizations host a variety of community events throughout the year. These include food trucks, outdoor concerts, and fireworks.
Residents have access to big city amenities in nearby Downtown Toledo. This vibrant commercial area features museums, parks, art galleries, restaurants, pubs, and coffee shops. The downtown area also provides access to the historic Old West End (OWE), which encompasses 25 city blocks lined with historically significant homes featuring Queen Anne, Victorian, Dutch Colonial, Italian Renaissance, and Arts and Crafts architecture.
Outdoor recreation
- Arrowhead Point and Geresy Field feature lush green spaces, baseball fields, and tennis courts for outdoor recreation.
- Niedermeier Stadium is home to the Ottawa Hills Green Bears and hosts high school sporting events throughout the year. It features an artificial playing surface, a video scoreboard, and ample seating.
- The University/Parks Trail runs near the Southern border of the village and extends for roughly seven miles from the University of Toledo to Sylvania Township. The paved trail meanders through a greenway, wetlands, and meadows. It is wheelchair-accessible and is a popular spot for jogging, cycling, and skating.
- Wildwood Preserve Metropark is located on Central Avenue in Toledo. It is the former estate of the Stranahan family, who had the Manor House built in 1938. This Georgian Colonial-style manor spans over 30,000 sq. ft. and is available for tours and holiday visits. The Ellen Biddle Shipman Garden features a complex landscaping scheme with flowering cherry trees and asters, pink roses, lilies, and other seasonal blooms.The property provides access to several trails for hiking and cycling. These include the Wildwood Upland Woods Trail, Meadow Loop Trail, and Grasslands Trail, just to name a few. The seven-mile University/Parks Trail connects the University of Toledo campus grounds to scenic Silica Road in Sylvania Township.
Other highlights include the Wildwood Playground, a forest-themed play area with a merry-go-round, slides, swings, and benches; FitPark, which features outdoor play structures and equipment; the Oak Grove School House, which dates back to 1893 and can be reserved for birthday parties; and Ward Pavilion, which features a patio, BBQ grills, fireplace, and kitchen facility.
- Inverness Club features a Donald Ross-designed championship golf course. The 18-hole golf course has hosted the Ohio Open, two PGA Championships (1986 and 1993), and four U.S. Opens (1920, 1931, 1957, and 1979). In addition to the golf course, the club has 10 tennis courts, social tennis events, and seasonal tennis instruction to players of all skill levels. There is also a paddle hut facility and three seasonal paddle tennisOther amenities include a swimming pool, wading pool, and diving well. The club’s pool complex features a pool house and a bar serving drinks and snacks. The on-site fitness facility provides access to free weights, and cardio and weight machines.
The English Manor-style clubhouse dates back to 1920 and provides an elegant space for gatherings and events. It features several modern dining facilities with ample seating. The patio offers al fresco dining with golf course views.
- Sylvania Country Club features a Willie Park Jr.-designed golf course offering 18 holes of world-class golf on 160 acres of scenic terrain. The club also provides access to several practice areas including, a short game practice facility, a driving range, and two putting greens. Its staff includes golf professionals who offer golf instruction and club repair.In addition to golf facilities, the club also has an outdoor tennis area with a hard court, a tennis pavilion, and five har-tru courts. Its full-service tennis program includes private tennis lessons, team practices, and junior and adult clinics.
The SCC Aquatics Center and Pavilion has a zero depth entry pool and an expanded wading pool with a slide and diving boards. The pavilion features a cafe that serves fantastic food and drinks.
Schools
The Village of Ottawa Hills is served by Ottawa Hills Local Schools, a small but exceptional school system. Niche named it the no. 1 school district in the Toledo area and surrounding Lucas County for three consecutive years while Ottawa Hills High School ranked as the no. 1 high school in the Toledo metropolitan area with a grade of A+. Ottawa Hills Elementary School also has an A+ grade on Niche and is ranked among the top 20 public elementary schools in Ohio.
Ottawa Hills students can participate in the University of Toledo Career Pathways, which allows them to simultaneously earn both high school and college credits when taking college courses at the university level.
For higher education, the University of Toledo offers more than 300 undergraduate and graduate programs in various fields of study, including business, engineering, law, and medicine. As many as 31 of these programs are nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report. It is best known for ground-breaking research in astronomy and astrophysics; cell architecture and dynamics; and solar energy and sustainable technologies. The university also features extensive athletic facilities, including an outdoor track, student recreation pool, sports fields, and tennis courts.